Public health care officials are urging people in nine out of Brazil’s 26 states to seek vaccinations, according to Reuters.
Brazil is experiencing the highest number of yellow fever cases since 2003 with at least 40 people being killed.
This is up from seven cases last year.
Public health care officials are urging people in nine out of Brazil’s 26 states to seek vaccinations, according to Reuters.
The outbreak roughly covers an area in western Minas Gerais that was hit by Brazil’s worst environmental disaster last year when a tailings dam collapsed at an iron ore mine co-owned by BHP Billiton and Vale SA, causing heavy pollution in the Rio Doce river.
There has been no evidence to link the two occurrences, says health officials, but studies will be done to rule out any connection.
The yellow fever outbreak comes as Brazil continues to battle the Zika virus, which has led to an increase in babies born with microcephaly.
Most people recover from yellow fever after the first phase of infection, which includes symptoms like fever, back pain, loss of appetite and nausea or vomiting, according to World Health Organization.
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the yellow fever virus, which is spread by the same Aedes mosquito responsible for transmitting the Zika virus and dengue.